Selling brownies on Ebay???

[n00bchef]

So I was dialed into a radio program that had this lady on there who has made around US $100,000 just by selling her home made brownies on Ebay.

When I heard this, I laughed and thought about how ridiculous that idea is... so I went to Ebay and searched for "fudge brownies" and sure enough, I got a few pages of people selling fudge brownies...

I guess I am still blown away that there is even a market for this? on ebay? It seems so wierd to me... I mean, you sit on Ebay and order 6 fudge brownies from this lady, and the next day you get them in the mail... I mean seriously... if you wanted fudge brownies why not make them or goto the local grocery store and buy some?

It just seemed wierd, I can see selling things like homemade beef jerky, dried fruit, or other things that don't require so much "freshness"... but brownies?... What do you all think about that.

(goto Ebay and search for "fudge brownies"...)

[Pete]

Sounds like a very slippery slope. She is basically retailing a food product which really means she should be following all the FDA guidelines and rules such as labeling (ingredients and nutritional) and packaging. She also should be producing her product in kitchen that has been inspected. Not following these rules could land her in serious trouble if the government catches on. Could also be trouble for anyone getting "sick" off of her product as they may have no recourse against her. I would never buy a food product off of ebay.

[n00bchef]

Originally Posted by Pete

Sounds like a very slippery slope. She is basically retailing a food product which really means she should be following all the FDA guidelines and rules such as labeling (ingredients and nutritional) and packaging. She also should be producing her product in kitchen that has been inspected. Not following these rules could land her in serious trouble if the government catches on. Could also be trouble for anyone getting "sick" off of her product as they may have no recourse against her. I would never buy a food product off of ebay.

Those are my thoughts exactly... not to mention the absolute epittemy of laziness... I mean think about it, someone buys 6 fudge brownies for $2, you charge $5 for the priority shipping, which means you have to package them up, and drive them over to the local post office... all that for a profit margin of (what I would guess) to be less than a dollar? It's just wierd.

[Aurora]

Oh please! Isn't the restaurant business based upon selling overpriced food to folks who cannot or choose not to prepare it for themselves?

[Dan S. LaMerde]

how about $51.00 for a lemon

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=9508334956

[chrose]

You know I looked it up and I have to say if you can sell them it's a brilliant idea. Assuming you have the proper paperwork in place ie: health dept. cert., liability insur. etc. it's really no different than having a webstore. The user fees that you pay to sell them is minimal, and if let's say I had a friend that I wanted to send a treat to that might be a way to do it. Would I buy them? Likely not, but there are plenty of people that would. So what they hey, if it's working good for them.
And Aurora you said it very well. You're absolutely right!

Hey that Lemon was pretty cool! I want one!

[Pete]

I have nothing against making money. ****, sell them for $10 a piece if you can get it. My concern is that this is some lady baking these in her home kitchen who has none of the paperwork you mentioned chrose. Buying food products from completely unknown sources, in this day and age, seems way too risky for me.

[Pete]

Just read one auction where the woman is "cryovacing" them for freshness. In most states, if you are using a cryovac machine, anytime you are selling food, you must have a HACCP program in place to ensure that your product is safe.

[chrose]

Pete I totally agree with you. These people unless they are playing by the rules are playing a very dangerous game for all involved (axcept for the eventual attornies! )
However! If they are playing by the rules (and they should really say so) then it's a great idea.
By the same token, I'm surprised that E-Bay would allow a food item to be sold like that without the seller displaying proper licenses. I would think that would open up their liability!

[panini]

I have looked into this. Most of the sellers that boast 100,000. sales have some small homemaker baking brownies just in case someone want one but the are really selling the cd on how to set it up. I was on the verge of this before 9/11. I has a good wholesale business with the cinference trade. The legalities are not so tuff. I acquired a manufacturing permit to ship across state lines. I've closed that kitchen but still hold the permit. The inspectors are not local, they are state. The same ones who inspect meat manufacturing plants etc. The hang up is in the labeling This is the toughest hurdle.
Anyway, noone is making easyh m oney on ebay.

[coolJ]

Originally Posted by Aurora

Oh please! Isn't the restaurant business based upon selling overpriced food to folks who cannot or choose not to prepare it for themselves?

Actually, I've found that for the most part, restuarant operators make almost no money off food sales. That is why they sell a 16 oz soda that has a food cost of 14 cents for $2.49. granted it is usually unlimited, but realistically who can drink more than 3 in one sitting.

As for the whole selling food on Ebay, that is really weird. People who buy food online must have an amazing sense of trust or no life and the same goes for people who sell food on line. I mean how do you know that your not going to get mailed a box of s.o.s pads, when you order a dozen brownies ??. It's a bad exaggeration or visual tool, but you gotta think about things like that.

[CrazyTATT]

Originally Posted by Aurora

Oh please! Isn't the restaurant business based upon selling overpriced food to folks who cannot or choose not to prepare it for themselves?

EXACTLY!



what's in these "brownies".....are they like the ones I ate follwing phish in the early/mid 90's?

[CrazyTATT]

Originally Posted by coolJ

Actually, I've found that for the most part, restuarant operators make almost no money off food sales. That is why they sell a 16 oz soda that has a food cost of 14 cents for $2.49. granted it is usually unlimited, but realistically who can drink more than 3 in one sitting.

yeah, that's why there are restaurants EVERY WHERE!pfffff.............

and if they were making money off sodas, why are so many gone in the first year........?lack of soda sales?

[coolJ]

CrazyTatt,
It's hard to tell sarcasm from seriousness in written form. I would hope that you were'nt just totally cutting me down for my opinion. my word is not gospel, I was merely stating from my experiences. Most restaurants go under in the first year, because they have too much overhead when they start out, not because they don't sell enough soda. I have found that restaurant managers where I live will try to go with the lowest priced labor available to "cut" costs, but that back fires because usually they only get the best that $8 canadian ($4.50 US) an hour can provide.
your's respectfully,
coolj

[CrazyTATT]

Originally Posted by coolJ

CrazyTatt,
It's hard to tell sarcasm from seriousness in written form. I would hope that you were'nt just totally cutting me down for my opinion. my word is not gospel, I was merely stating from my experiences. Most restaurants go under in the first year, because they have too much overhead when they start out, not because they don't sell enough soda. I have found that restaurant managers where I live will try to go with the lowest priced labor available to "cut" costs, but that back fires because usually they only get the best that $8 canadian ($4.50 US) an hour can provide.
your's respectfully,
coolj

I am a master of the sarcastic arts....

No, not trying to cut you down in any way.

IT is a shame that som many ventures fail, particularly in the first trial year or so. I have opened 5 here in Virginia Beach, and know first hand, how hard it is to maintain a bussines, employees, and the books.

I was simply stating that beverage isn't a majority of the downfall pandemic. Although I am not sure how things are in the great white north, here(in hampton Roads) there are NO bars, meaning an establishment that serves soley beverages. All total food sales need to offset the alcahol sales. There is a formula that changes bi-yearly, and last time I checked, only 30% of total sales, can be made in beverage.Meaning 70% of total sales HAVE TO BE NON Beverage related. Sounds silly, thats why the "bars" we have at our oceanfront throw "All U Care to Eat" buffets of prime rib and crablegs for $6,so they can offset the heavy booze buisness they do on a daily basis.They just write the food off as total cost of the invoice + the money made off the buffets. All in all, liquior/any beverage, does make up a good chunk of change when all is said and done, I was just saying that the type of restaurants I have been associated with are fine dining, and food IS the mainstay, not sop much the few bottles of wine and the few bar drinks we would serve.

Hope this made sense, and I hope you know I was being sarcastic in my forementioned post.

Respectfully,
TATT